World War Three 1946 Series Boxed Set: Stalin Strikes First

by Harry Kellogg

  The smells of World War Two were different. He was in a command position far from the front and smells of combat. The only time he relived the smells of World War Two, was when he passed through combat zones yet to be cleared. His dreams passed through many battlefields on his way to wakefulness. In his dreams he relived killing fields from New Georgia, Bougainville and the Philippines, where he saw atrocities a man should never see. The carnage was committed by Japanese soldiers retreating after their defeat. The enemy bastards were eventually annihilated, far from their homes and families. Their bodies were left rotting in the jungle.

  Wakefulness brought Griswold back to the present where he was in command of the US Seventh Army. His Army was about to invade the city of Beirut via the Mediterranean Sea. Leonard Gerow was in command of the Seventh Army’s vanguard corp. The Corp’s mission was to lead the charge on Baghdad. If the operation was successful they would trap 250,000 Soviet troops between Montgomery on the Suez Canal and a NATO defensive line running from Beirut to Baghdad.

  Griswold looked over at General Gerow and it gave him a tremendous sense of confidence. Gerow was one of the finest Corps Commanders of World War Two. He had performed admirably in the Western European Theater and he was now using those same skills in the Mediterranean. Normally he would have been elevated to command an army but, he was so valuable as a Corps Commander Ike decided to keep him in that capacity.

  Being a corps commander was actually a tougher job than being a general leading an army. As Corps Commander you control generals who are leading divisions. Division Commanders are typically newly minted generals. These rookies are usually untested and out to prove they are the best, hardest driving and bravest assholes in the US Army. Trying control these guys is equivalent to herding cats.

  Corps Commanders have proven their abilities, been under the microscope, and are not so anxious to get killed. They are truly committed to a career in the army and generally take orders well. There are very few rogue Corps Commanders whereas up to 25% of Division Commanders tend to burn out during a campaign.

  In the early stage of the last war, Ike and Marshall had no idea of their true combat abilities of their Division Commanders. A number of peace time officers proved ineffective during their initial combat experience. But after three years of continuous combat in World War Two, most Corps Commanders have been vetted and had proven their worth.

  A Corps Commander was, as one general describes him, “the last man toward the rear who directs tactical fire on the enemy. He is the commander who conducts the battle.”

  General Matthew B. Ridgeway, who successfully commanded at division and corps levels during World War Two, describes in his memoirs certain characteristics of U.S. Army Corps Commander:

  “He is responsible for a large sector of a battle area, and all he must worry about in that zone is fighting. He must be a man of great flexibility of mind, for he may be fighting six divisions one day and one division the next as the higher commanders transfer divisions to and from his corps. He must be a man of tremendous physical stamina, too, for his battle zone may cover a front of one hundred miles or more, with a depth of fifty to sixty miles, and by plane and jeep he must cover this area, day and night, anticipating where the hardest fighting is to come, and being there in person, ready to help his division commanders in any way he can.”

  General Gerow exemplified an archetypical Corps Commander. He embraced his duty. He was not upset that he did not command an army. He was confident in his abilities and knew where his key strengths lay. Gerow was a true team player and understood that his reward would be the liberation of Europe.

  Zhukov at the Ready

  Marshall of the Soviet Union Georgi Zhukov was at his best. Like the Battle of Berlin his preparations for the final assault on the British and NATO lines were proceeding apace. Again, he would do whatever it takes to crush the enemy, even if it meant absorbing tremendous casualties.

  The reinforcements from Spain of two Tank Armies greatly enhanced his offensive capabilities. His supplies and air cover had finally caught up with his fast-moving tank armies. The additional squadrons of ground attack aircraft were just what he needed to decisively rid the Middle East of the British Empire. Their historical meddling in the region caused massive suffering of the local populace. Soon the world would be purged of the British lion and all it stood for.

  He was already blessed with large formations of his favorite weapon, the Queen of the Battlefield, artillery. He had cannon and rocket battalions in abundance but lately there had been a shortage of ammunition and fuel to transport them. The biggest guns and most devastating rocket launchers are useless if you can't move them or provide the shells and rockets to fire.

  Figure 7-Scores of Incoming Katyusha Rockets

  The Stavka rightfully chose to isolate the American incursion to Trieste and Vienna. Having to divert around the NATO troops added significantly to the travel time from Spain but it was manageable.

  An assault on the Americans in Vienna would have been disastrous. The Stavka and Stalin had made the correct decision by not playing into the Amerikosi's game. Let NATO waste all their naval resources on Trieste and Vienna while he closed the Suez Canal once and for all.

  Zhukov was informed the Bagramyan was getting bloodied in Kuwait. The British colonial troops were putting up a stiff resistance. The oil fields of Kuwait were seen by the Stavka as a bonus. Capturing the fields was not a necessity because much of the supplies and reinforcements had gone to his forces instead of Bagramyan. The added combat units came with new threats and serious consequences if he did not perform. It reminded him of the race to finish the Nazis in Berlin. He was able to win that battle. Now he was determined to break the British lines and march on Cairo.

  He was proceeding with unusual haste on this final phase of his offensive. He was assured by Intelligence Services that the Amerikosi had used up the majority of their amphibious forces invading Trieste and Vienna. Zhukov decided it was of the essence to take advantage of NATOs current lack of resources.

  If he thought the American Navy could launch an invasion similar to Anzio in his rear, he would strengthen the defenses of his supply lines. The use of paratroopers and fast moving amphibious had dramatically changed the Art of War. Oh, how he would love the resources to suddenly appear in the enemy’s rear as Americans and Brits had done time after time.

  His second in command, Vassiliev, came in and disrupted his thoughts.

  “Excuse me for interrupting you sir, there is unusual naval activity off the Egyptian coast. We have multiple reports of nine NATO aircraft carriers observed steaming east.”

  “Were there any amphibious forces spotted as well”?

  “Nothing had been reported, Marshall.”

  “How many aircraft can nine American carriers support Vassiliev?”

  “Each can carry up to 100 I believe sir.”

  “That would mean an additional 900 planes maximum would be added to the British defenses. Is my thinking logical Vassiliev?"

  “As always Marshall.”

  “We have received how many additional aircraft in the last two weeks?”

  “I believe close to 1200, Marshall.”

  “So our advantage in the air might be marginalized. The estimate of the British planes was 800 while we now have over 3400. With the additional American planes we still have a decided advantage, but the report is disturbing none the less. The Amerikosi do not put their carriers in harm’s way on a whim. My instincts tell me to be cautious.

  Contact Beria on my personal orders, and ascertain if there is any possibility of Yankee amphibious forces appearing in my rear. If he is not 100% certain that the American navy is incapable of supporting another invasion, then I must take measures to guard my supply lines. We will then have to postpone the assault on the Suez. Is your assignment clear Vassiliev?”

  “Yes Marshall, of course.”

  “Go!”

  “Yes Marshall.”

  Beria’s Rage
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  Lavrenti Pavlovich Beria had just finished terrorizing a 12-year-old girl named Soya Slavski. He decided not to rape her but still wanted the thrill of hearing her scream. He loved the high-pitched screams of little girls. Even as a child he enjoyed scaring and hurting his sisters and cousins.

  In any other society, he would have been executed or killed by an outraged father or brother long ago, perhaps as early as 14. His first assault was a gypsy girl. Luckily for him the gypsies treated their women almost as badly as he had treated that child. His father was able to pay for the experience with cash instead of Beria’s blood.

  Beria’s behavior as a young boy was a precursor of the heinous creature he would become. He was always seeking out and planning more and more gruesome and, for him, exciting ways to terrorize women. The more beautiful the victim, the more pleasure he experienced. Woe the pretty girl who caught his eye. His only regret about why he used women and increasingly girls, was that he could only rape and kill them once. Beria would have liked to have kept a “collection” of his victims but he always got carried away and ended up killing them. He had a need to experience that final thrill of taking another’s life and watching their eyes turn from terror to dead.

  Now, Beria was the second most powerful man in the world. If he wanted a woman, he just took her. If her father or husband started to cause trouble, he had them killed. Only Nazi Germany or the USSR, both home to the greatest mass murderers of all time, had the capacity to so easily overlook such diabolical behavior in their leaders.

  Beria’s aide brought him another report on an invasion by the Amerikosi near the border of Yugoslavia and Italy in the oft-contested city of Trieste. Why there, he thought. There is nothing there or even near there of military or even political value. This Tito character must be seeing bies under his bed.[cxxxvi] The little shit probably sleeps with a loaded gun. Beria never liked the people now called Yugoslavians. He been taught that they were all subhuman and impossible to tame. However, they are good allies always willing to do your dirty work. Let’s see how they do with this little “invasion” they claim is happening. Who and why would anyone invade Trieste? I’d better find out the details just in case.

  Beria motions to his aide to come closer.

  “Dispose of the body in the quiet room and then get me Zhukov on the line…No wait, he thought, Zhukov is busy in the Levant.

  “Get me Marshall Konev instead.”

  He can handle the situation in Trieste with some troops from the Pyrenees and Tito’s goons. The fighting should kill a lot of Yugoslavs…less mouths to feed.

  The program to exterminate great swathes of useless proletariats was under way. There was actually plenty of food to sustain life in the Soviet warehouses. It was better to have the most productive workers healthy while letting trouble makers starve.

  Citizens who lived in the city and could possibly organize and riot had to be fed. Most revolutions involved large numbers of idle young men gathering together. The fear of revolt is one of the reasons why Beria had urged Stalin to attack. What better use for idle soldiers than to die for their country. Now it was time for disloyal peasants to assist the communist struggle in the best way they could…by dying.

  Beria’s mind came back to Tito’s whining, Beria thought he had better work on a contingency plan that involved Konev. His first thought was to just contain the invading Amerikosi forces already on the ground and let them sit there in Trieste. Who cared? He would advise Stalin and the Stavka that they should only move enough forces to contain any adventurism and wait to see what the Capitalist Pigs did next. It seemed that the whole NATO operation was a very costly enterprise.

  He needed more information. His spy network had been gradually shrinking and he was utterly blind to the intentions and objectives of this operation. He would have to call forth some of his most deeply hidden moles and sleeper agents. Trieste had to be the American trash’s last gambit. All the indications were that the Amerikosi could not have enough resources for additional invasions.

  His aide returned too quickly to have contacted Konev.

  “What is it you fool? Do you have Konev on the phone or not?”

  “Sorry Marshall.”

  “I told you not to call me that.”

  “I…what…Sorry Marshall…err sir….”

  “SILENCE! Now tell me what it is that you have risked your life for.”

  “But sir…I…yes sir. Marshall Zhukov’s second in command Vassiliev is on the phone and demanded to talk to you in person…Sir.”

  Beria was beside himself with rage. How dare that buffoon and bully Zhukov command me! And to use Vassiliev is beyond an insult. Demanded did he! I will get him in my chair soon, along with Vassiliev, for this insult.

  The aide is standing there in stunned silence watching with terror as Lavrenti Beria visibly tries to control his rage. He almost faints as Beria’s eyes finally focus again looking straight at him.

  “Sir…What should I do?”

  Once again Beria is lost in just what he is going to do to his aide once he deals with Vassiliev and Zhukov. You will beg me to kill you. That’s what you are going to do, keeps racing through his mind.

  Finally Beria speaks to the visibly trembling aide.

  “Leave the room and transfer the call to me. Don’t say another word. Just go.”

  The aide almost says “Yes Sir” but catches himself in time and runs out of Beria’s office.

  The conversation between Vassiliev and Beria and then with Zhukov himself is not recorded. Later Beria relieved his rage by strapping his aide to his favorite chair. The aide died rather quickly. However, he did last long enough to calm Beria down, and that prevented Lavrenti from doing something stupid involving Zhukov.

  Zhukov remained confident that the Americans still had the capacity to invade despite Beria’s rabid insistence to the contrary. He was unable to allay Zhukov’s concerns of a possible strike against his supply line. Zhukov stated that he was going to postpone the attack against the British on the Suez Canal and strengthen his defenses.

  Beria would have traveled through the phone lines and attacked the fool if at all possible. Instead he used his aide’s life as a tool to remain in control. He was so infuriated and enraged that Zhukov would question his sources and statements regarding the Amerikosi. Who was he to doubt the powers of Lavrenti Beria?

  After his session with his aide, he was sufficiently in control of his anger towards Zhukov to appear sane. He called for his car and went directly to Stalin’s dacha. He was very pleased with the results of his visit.

  Pattern Recognition

  Sergo was in his office when his thoughts suddenly turned to a report he just received from England. It was from Cairncross via Beria regarding a man named Alan Turing. Sergo was very anxious to meet the great man. He understood from Beria that a plan was in place to bring Turing to Moscow. Hopefully, it would not involve violence. He really hated physical confrontation and did not wish it on anyone.

  Sergo had been watching Turing through the eyes of Cairncross for years. Cairncross had become as close a friend to Turing as there will ever be.

  Sergo had plans to merge the Lalleri gypsies with their unusual skills and Turing’s unlimited imagination. With these gypsies as his minions, Alan Turing could create a whole new way of interacting with machines. There would be no stopping the cause of Communism if you combined the resources that Sergo offered with the mind of Turing and the gypsies’ abilities.

  The irony was that the gypsies had skills that were almost totally useless in today’s society. They weren’t strong, talented, or more intelligent than your average person. In fact this group ranked well below average in every measurable test administered by Sergo.

  He read about a man named Charles Babbage who used cards with holes punched in them to control a machine.[cxxxvii] Some years later, Ada Lovelace showed how to use this language to compute symbols as well as numbers. Ada had written a “program” to calculate a sequence of Bernoulli
numbers using Babbage’s Analytical Machine.[cxxxviii]

  Sergo foresaw a future where analytical machines, or computers, would alter the way humans interacted with each other, with the world and eventually the universe.

  Just yesterday he had seen cameras that sent remote images to an electronic screen miles away. The engineers achieved this feat by creating a unique language based on numbers. [cxxxix]

  His tests revealed that the whole tribe excelled in a type of pattern recognition. Sergo was convinced that their singular skill would lead to turning a mathematics-based language that could control a machine or even store information.

  A month ago Sergo had arranged a meeting with the defectors Joel Barr and Alfred Sarant. The pair had clandestinely shipped millions of crystal diodes, resistors, capacitors and vacuum tubes from the US to the Soviet Union before they defected. All three were in agreement that the electronic parts they had acquired could be combined to make a super calculating machine. Alan Turing was exactly the man to make their dream a reality.

  Only Sergo knew about the gypsies and their specific talents. It would be his secret until Turing was in hand.

  Figure 8 - Babbage's Machine and Ada's math

  Stalin Calls

  Any normal human being would have been scared out of his mind. Sergo was far from ordinary. He had trouble feeling emotion. He was not in the least bit concerned by his summons to appear before Stalin. His mind did register irritation at being interrupted and forced to leave his office and go to Stalin’s dacha. During the half hour ride the grim NKVD agents said nothing, which was just fine with Sergo. He kept his mind busy with the usual puzzles and conundrums that occupied most of his waking hours. It was irrelevant to Sergo that his challenges involved running a huge military and industrial empire. The endless puzzles and their solutions kept him engaged, and as a result, the Red Army supplied.